Fishkis Maya
Evolving Systems Technology, 95 Hawkfield Crescent NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Orig Life Evol Biosph. 2007 Dec;37(6):537-53. doi: 10.1007/s11084-007-9111-4. Epub 2007 Sep 14.
The paper deals with molecular self-organization leading to formation of a protocell. Plausible steps towards a protocell include: polymerization of peptides and oligonucleotides on mineral surfaces; coevolution of peptides and oligonucleotides with formation of collectively autocatalytic sets; self-organization of short peptides into vesicles; entrapment of the peptide/oligonucleotide systems in mixed peptide and simple amphiphile membranes; and formation of functioning protocells with metabolism and cell division. The established propensity of short peptides to self-ordering and to formation of vesicles makes this sequence plausible. We further suggest that evolution of a protocell produced cellular ancestors of viruses as well as ancestors of cellular organisms.
本文探讨了导致原始细胞形成的分子自组织过程。通向原始细胞的合理步骤包括：肽和寡核苷酸在矿物表面聚合；肽和寡核苷酸共同进化并形成集体自催化集；短肽自组织形成囊泡；肽/寡核苷酸系统被包裹在混合肽和简单两亲性膜中；以及形成具有新陈代谢和细胞分裂功能的原始细胞。短肽固有的自排序和形成囊泡的倾向使得这一过程具有合理性。我们进一步认为，原始细胞的进化产生了病毒的细胞祖先以及细胞生物体的祖先。
